CHEYENNE — Wyoming has initiated a lawsuit along with 25 other states, challenging the Biden Administration’s latest attempt to force a consumer transition to electric vehicles (EVs), according to a news release from the governor’s office.

In a lawsuit filed in the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the states are seeking to block a new rule issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). That rule imposes standards that leverage the weight of the federal government to require auto manufacturers to produce EVs.

“Our federal government should not be issuing overreaching mandates that manipulate the free market,” Gov. Mark Gordon said. “Wyoming residents drive thousands of miles each year through remote areas. They should be able to decide what vehicle technology is most suitable for their needs, not the Biden Administration.”

In January, Gordon joined 15 Republican governors in signing a letter to President Joe Biden opposing the proposed rule calling the mandates “unrealistic, costly and prescriptive solutions that harm American consumers.”

There are approximately 1,000 EVs registered in Wyoming, which account for just over one-tenth of 1% of total vehicle registrations in the state. 

The coalition is comprised of Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.